Air strike kills five in Idlib, death toll climbs - monitor

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Air strikes killed at least five people in a village in the Syrian rebel-held region of Idlib on Tuesday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.

It said the death toll from the air strikes in the village of Tarmala, some 40 km (25 miles) south of Idlib city, was expected to rise.

Syrian government forces backed by allied militia and the Russian air force, are waging an offensive in southern areas of Idlib province, the largest chunk of territory still held by rebels battling President Bashar al-Assad.

The Observatory also said the death toll from air strikes in Idlib city on Sunday had risen to 11, with more dead pulled from the rubble of destroyed buildings.